BS1: Bogen Søndre 1

This is some of the best flywaters you will find on the Gaula.

The beat is located about 20 km upriver from our main beats in Støren. This is a classic salmon pool, with a well-defined neck, long belly, and wide, rocky tail out. Fish can hold throughout its entirety.

This famous pool is one of the best high-water pools on the entire river. The pool also performs well in medium water and can even be productive in low water. This very long pool holds fish from early on in the season, usually only a couple of days after fish have passed the Gaulfossen! In the very first weeks it can be a bit difficult, depending on the weather, but in general, the beat fishes great the entire season.

Approximately 50 meters below the Bridge, NFC water starts on the left bank – worth a try before leaving BS1, as some nice fish have been caught there. This part is often overlooked and people just fish in the main pool below.

Upper Pool

A view from the Bridge at Kotsøy.

Catch & Release from the 2012 season on BS1.

BS1 Upper Pool

BS1: Bogen Søndre 1 Instructions

High water levels (above 100 m³):

In higher water levels the pool should be fished through its entire length, starting from the hut. The area just above the wires in the lower part of the pool is very good in high water and definitely worth paying careful attention to during medium water levels as well. The same goes for the tail of the pool, from the wires to where the river is divided by the island below. Fish seem to favor this spot during the night when resting a while before they continue into the main pool itself. The pool is not very deep so fishing with medium sinking lines or even intermediate (in the lower part) would be a good choice. Make sure to fish the pool quite fast, it is a long stretch- so it can take quite some time to fish through if one does not keep moving. Try different flies – but as the waters is normally quite clear, flies do not need to be huge. Medium or large tubes are a good choice, colors depending on the temperatures and weather.

Medium water levels (100 m³ to 40 m³):

In this level the pool fishes all the way through excellently; it is one of the nicest stretches of fly water you can find on the entire river with a perfect flow and speed – slow sinking to floating lines are the right choice now. The lower the water gets the higher up you should start fishing the pool. Drop in a bit higher up than the hut- as that area is a great taking spot and many fish have been caught in that part of the pool! Fish the entire length of the pool, sometimes the middle and lower parts can be as good or even better than the upper part. Try to make a long cast all the way through and avoid too much splashing with the fly line, the salmon higher up in the river are a bit more spooky than lower down.

Low water levels (below 40 m³):

This pool is known to be one of the most productive pools on the Gaula in low water. The best chances are now at the top of the pool, from the neck down to the hut. If the water is low enough you can wade almost halfway across the shallow (although swift) neck and cover the big rock on the far side – an excellent taking area in low water. Even the lower portion of the pool can be productive. If the current is too slow, and the fly loses speed, start stripping the line, as this can be effective at triggering fish to strike. The pool typically holds quite a number of resident fish, so it’s worth trying different methods; even a hitched fly on the top or a bomber in super low conditions – maybe even a nymph! Also, small double hook flies and smaller cascades can be very effective. In low water, the best time to fish here is in the afternoons and evenings because at about 16.00 hours the sun sets behind the valley walls.